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Whether it
be
by word of mouth,
personal correspondence, wire
communications, or the electronic media,
the transmitted message adds excitement
although it may
be
less than authentic.
Variations of the message evolve from
misinterpretation, lade. of facts. and/or
liability of the source. An elaboration by
someone can add an extra zing to make
a message more worthy of conveying.
However, the message will
be
transmitted from a receiver to a
~ce,
regardless of the channel.
LEFT: An informant passes the news to Schannon Ratliff by word
of mouth. BELOW: Personna! correspondence during class was stin
a popular method of conveying the message as shown by Rip
Priscok passes one to Robin Edmonson.
l "'' -
LEFT: Posters in halls during football season conveyed the message of "win" to students such as Jane Endsley. RIGHT: A crowd at a home football game express thet
enthusiasm after an exciting play.
Communication ranges from television to telephone
"May I have your attention
for the morning
announcements?''
A hush settles over the
school as the familiar voice of
Principal Cecil Pirkey echoes
throughout the halls.
Announcements of club
meetings. school events.
honors, scores, and other
matters of importance opened
and closed each school day.
For some. the announcements
were the only communication
concerning sucn events.
Television continued as the
most popular communication
tool. with 84 percent of this
nation's 60 million households
having at least one television
set.
A significant attraction for
22/Communication
the "boob tube" was the
availability of electronic
recording devices whereby one
could record his favorite show
for encore viewing or record
from a channel other than the
one being watched. Home Box
Office, Showtime, and
independent stations WGN in
Chicago and WTBS in Atlanta
expanded the viewers' choices.
Radio D.J.'s chatted with
students traveling to and from
schools, communicating
contemporary trends in music
and broadcasting current news
events. Among the more
frequently listened to local
stations were KNOE AM
(country-western), KNOE FM
(rock), KLIC, KUZN, KYEA,
and KNAN (contemporary
Christian) as students turned
in to portable, transistors, car
radios, clock radios. or stereo
setups. Traditional
communication in classrooms
consisted of lectures, movies,
slides, chalkboards, posters,
bulletin boards, textbooks,
notebooks, and magazines.
Less frequent forms of
communication included graffiti
on desks, sign language. body
language, and secretive notes.
Outward expressions were
manifested in fashionable fads,
lapel pins, buttons, and initial
jewelry, glasses. keychains.
purses, and belt buckles.
Along the hallways posters
competed for student attention
with colorful graphics and
punchy 'llessages. In the
parking lots, bumper stickers
identified and categorized their
cars' drivers.
From boxtops to price tags
to billboards to computerized
T-shirts, today' s students wer
constant targets of a barrage
of information. This year's
election let students see and
hear candidates being
merchandized like soap. •
When one considers all
popular forms of
communication, he must also
consider the Alexander Grahar
Bell invention, which is yet
the quickest and most
effective way to get a
message to another.